CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by UNL | Libraries University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Entomology Papers from Other Sources Entomology Collections, Miscellaneous 5-15-1948 Synoptic revision of the United States scarab beetles of the subfamily Dynastinae, No. 4: Tribes Oryctini (part), Dynastini, and Phileurini Lawrence W. Saylor California Academy of Sciences Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/entomologyother Part of the Entomology Commons Saylor, Lawrence W., "Synoptic revision of the United States scarab beetles of the subfamily Dynastinae, No. 4: Tribes Oryctini (part), Dynastini, and Phileurini" (1948). Entomology Papers from Other Sources. 125. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/entomologyother/125 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Entomology Collections, Miscellaneous at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Entomology Papers from Other Sources by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 176 JOURNAL OF THE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES VOL. 38, NO. 5 ENTOMOLOGY.-Synoptic revision of the United States scarab beetles of the sub­ family Dynastinae, No. 4-: Tribes Oryctini (part), Dynastini, and Phileurini.1 LAWRENCE W. SAYLOR, California Academy of Sciences. This paper is the fourth in the series of platys. Indeed, I have relatively fresh speci­ my United States dynastine scarab beetle mens of A. castaneus (from Massachusetts and studies and completes the specific listings New Hampshire) in which the preapical clypeal and notes. The fifth, and last, part will in­ carina is distinctly bidentate, so that the only clude a complete classification of the tribes character for the retention of the name and genera, from the N earctic standpoint. Aphonus as a valid genus is gone. However, even though I feel that Aphonus Genus Aphonus LeConte must eventually be considered a synonym of Aphonu8 LeConte, 1856, p. 21; Horn, 1882, p. the earlier described Cheiroplatys I am unable 122'; LeConte and Horn, 1883, p. 259; Casey, definitely to synonymize the two genera until 1915, pp. 178,210; Ritcher, 1944, p. 28, Cart- wright, 1944, p. 36. I can review the genotypes; I desire also to Podalgu8 (part) Burmeister, 1847, p. 117; Lacor­ dissect carefully the mouthparts of many of daire, 1856, p. 408. the Neotropical and Australian forms of the genus. Aphonus (as now constituted) is limited to The sexes of Aphonus are rather similar in the Eastern United States and contains four most characters, but in the male the last ab­ valid species; the farthest west I have knowl­ dominal sternite is shorter and is feebly but edge of the genus occurring is Texas, where distinctly emarginate apically, whereas the last brevicruris Cartwright was collected. abdominal in the female is longer and the apex The only character separating the adults of is evenly rounded. Aphonus from United States species of Cheiro­ I have been unable to construct a satisfac­ platys Hope is the trilobed (varying to sub­ tory key to the species based on nonvariable tridentate to even simply carinate in worn ex­ external differences, so that to place the specks amples) preapical carina of the clypeus. In the properly it is necessary to make genital dissec­ larvae, Ritcher has pointed out (1944) the very tions. The only general statement that can be close similarity between Cheiroplatys pyriformis made as to the external facies is that castaneus LeConte and Aphonus castaneus (Melsheimer), is most frequently rufous, averages 10 to 11 the only real difference being that the first mm in length1 and is more robust; whereas antennal segment in the latter is bare of setae, densicauda and tridentata are both more and the other two key characters being those elongate, and the former averages 13 mm in of degree only (relative distance between lobes length and the latter 15 mm. Obviously, such of the thoracic spiracle, respiratory plate, and generalities are interesting but of little assist­ width of the head capsule). In the adults, the ance in actually separating closely allied and peculiar preapical carina and the rather odd variable species. According to Cartwright's apical, front tibial tooth, as well as external description of brevicruris (the unique type of facies and proportions in general, immedi­ which I have not seen) the proportions of the ately disclose the close affinity of the two heavy, short tibia and femora will readily sep­ groups at present called Aphonus and Cheiro- arate this species from all other described 1 Received September 3, 1947. forms. MAY 15, 1948 SAYLOR: SYNOPTIC REVISION OF SUBFAMILY DYNASTINAE 177 Aphonus castaneus (Melsheimer) Aphonu8 tridentatu8 (Say) Horn, 1882, p. 122; FIG. 1, k, m Casey, 1915, p. 215; Ritcher 1944, p. 33 (lar­ 1937, 42 Bothynus castaneus MeIsheimer, 1856, p. 138; vae); Arrow, p. (additional refs.). LeConte, 1856, p. 22. Aphonu8 aterrimus Casey, 1915, p. 216. Podalgus obe8us Burmeister, 1847, p. 119; Arrow, Aphonu8 congestus Casey, 1915, p. 218. 1909, p. 341. Aphonus elIJngatu8 Casey, 1915, p. 215. Aphonus castaneus (MeIsheimer) Casey, 1915, p. Aphonu81rater LeConte, 1856, p. 22. 220; Sims, 1934, p. 334 (larvae); Johnson, Aphonu8 hydropicus LeConte, 1856, p. 22. 1942, p. 79; Ritcher, 1944, p. 30, pIs. 2-5 Aphonus ingens Casey, 1924, p. 334. (larvae). Aphonus modulatus Casey, 1915, p. 219. Aphonus politU8 Casey, 1915, p. 218. Aphonuscubilormis C~sey, 1915, p. 221. Aphonus saginatu8 Casey, 1915, p. 220. Aphonu8 scutellaris Casey, 1924, p. 335. Aphonus trapezicollis Casey, 1915, p. 219. Usually piceous, this largest United States All examples of this small species that I have species of the genus varies to entirely rufous, examined vary from rufocastaneous to piceo­ especially in specimens from Florida, and these castaneous in color, and from 8 to 13 mm in latter are the variolosus of LeConte; the Florida length. The species ranges generally along the specimens are often 2-3 mm smaller than the East Coast from Maine south through the more northern specimens and superficially look Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama. Johnson different, but the genitalia and all essential di· mentions finding numerous larvae on the sur­ agnostic characters are identical and I have no face of a Connecticut golf course during a gen­ doubt of the correctness of the synonymy. I tle July rain, and these larvae retreated into have seen specimens from Michigan, Indiana, the sod when the sun reappeared. Sims records Illinois, south through Georgia, South Caro­ the larvae as common in the turf of the coastal lina, and Florida; also recorded from New plains golf courses and in sandy soil generally. York and Wisconsin. Cartwright has taken numbers at Clemson, S. C., from March Aphonus densicauda Casey through July. Ritcher says that the larvae are Fig. 1, h, 1 found in woodland loam; collected by Yeager Aphonu8 densicauda Casey, 1915, p. 216; Ritcher, from !'forest duff" in Michigan. p. 31 (larvae). Aphonus brevicruris Cartwright Described from PennsylYania, and seen also Fig. I, e from New Hampshire, south to Georgia and Aphonus brevicruris Cartwright, 1944, p. 36, pI. I, Kentucky and west to Iowa; will probably be fig. 5. found to have a much Wider distribution than indicated by available specimens. Ritcher re­ Described from a unique male collected at cords it as fairly common in Kentucky where Austwell, Tex., May 20, 1941 (Goodpaster full-grown larvae may be found in pastureland, collector), and not taken since to my knowl­ in or just beneath the sod, from November to edge. I have not seen the type, and the informa­ May, and pupation occurs late in Mayor tion here is reworded and taken from Cart­ early in June; he found adults in the soil wright's paper: Easily separable from all other throughout the year. United States species by the proportions of The color is usually piceous or piceocastane­ the hind legs: the femur is three-fifths as wide ous, varying to rufous, as do all species of the as it is long, the tibia is shorter than the femur, genus, and the length averages 13 mm. The and the tibial apex is widely flared and more adults are hard to separate from typically than half as wide at apex as the full tibial black tridentatus other than on genital charac­ length; in all other United States species the ters and the slightly larger average size of the hind femur is only half as wide as long, the hind latter (15 mm.); the larvae are also very similar tibia and femur are subequal in length and the but distinct according to Ritcher (1944). hind tibial apex is flared but at most is one­ third as wide at apex as the length. Aphonus tridentatus (Say) Fig. 1, I, i, j, n Tribe DYNASTINI Scarabaeus tridentatu8 Say, 1823, p. 209. Bothynu8 ,!ariolo8u8 LeConte, 1848, p. 88 (new Some of the largest and heaviest insects synonymy). in the world occur in this tribe, including 178 JOURNAL OF THE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES VOL. 38, NO. 5 the well-known Dynastes hercules of the Our species have been variously listed or de­ American Tropics. Arrow (1937) lists only scribed in the genera Scarabaeus, Geotrupes, 21 genera in the tribe from the world, many Xylotrupes, and others by the older authors and of these genera being monobasic. The essen­ such references are readily available in Arrow tial character of the enlarged male forelegs (1937) and Burmeister (1847). is not too well shown in our United States Arrow lists 13 species of these so-called species, but in our relatively common Golofa "rhinoceros beetles" as valid in his 1937 cata­ Hope and such M egasoma as elephas the logue, these occurring in India, the Philippines, character is strongly indicated. In the Java, Burma, Borneo, Nigeria, the Congo, and Colombian Golofa porteri Hope the front the Americas.